Gripper for printing-presses.



No. 644,742. Patntd Mar. s, |900. l-

T. G. JENKINS at .1. B. wlLLs.

GRIPPER FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

(Application lad May 18, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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TI-IOMAS GVALIA JENKINS AND JOHN BALLARD VILLS, OF IVI-IEELINGQ- VEST VIRGINIA.

GRIPPER FOR FRINTINGPRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,742, dated March 6, 1900.

Application filed May 18,1899.

To LtZZ whom it mag/.concerns Beit known that we,THoMAs GWALIA .IEN- KINs and JOHN BALLARD WILLs, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Vheeling, county of Ohio, and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grippers for Printing-Presses, of `which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in grippers for platen printing-presses; and it consists in certain novel constructions, cornbinations, and arrangements of parts Which will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The object of our invention is to provide a simple and comparatively-inexpensive gripper for platen printing-presses, constructed in such a manner that it may be gaged so as to have a perfect grip on all four sides of the sheet upon which the printing is to be done, and thus enables the sheet to be pulled from the form, saves the feeders time in taking sheets from the rollers by reason of the sheets sticking, saves loss on stock by reason of the sheets sticking, permits the working of inks in their natural state, thus giving a -muchk cleaner and more desirable' class of work, and holds the sheets smooth on the platen, preventing blurring. Y

A further object of our invention is to'provide a gripper for platenprinting-presses which may be adjusted to any platen-press and which may be adjusted to grip all sides of any-sizedsheet of paper.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts.

Figure l represents a front plany view of the invention, showing the same secured to the common slide used on platen-presses. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the same, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by arrows. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the end of an extensionrod, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a trans- Verse sectional view of an extension-rod, taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings, A and B represent the Serial No. 717,375. (No model.)

two side grippers, each of which is provided with a longitudinal slot O,which runs almost the entire length of said side grippers. In each of the slots C is the end H of each of two extension-rods, said ends being so constructed that they are longitudinally movable along said slots, thus permitting the extension-rods to be moved up or down and enabling the ends, as Well as the sides, of anysized sheet to be gripped.

The extension-rods are composed of two parts-a hollow tube F and a rod G. The free end ot' the rod G lies within the end of the tube F. The object of this construction is to allow the side grippers A and B to be either separated or drawn closer together, as occasion might require, or according to the width of the sheet upon which the printing is to be done.

The ends of the extension-rods,as is clearly shown in Fig. 4, are composed of two parts -H and I, so constructed that the part H lits closely in the upper face of the slot and the part I in the under face, the two parts being secured together by a lever-screw or thumbscrew K. The outer lower edge of the part H is beveled, as is also the outer upper edge y of the 'part I, and it is obvious that when these two parts are secured together a groove is formed on their outer edge at their point of contact, which groove fits on the tapered edge L of the side grippers. This construction allows the rods to be moved in either direction along the slot C and also secures them inthe slots.

At the lower end of each of the side grippers A and B is a hole adapted to receivea bolt P, by which means the said grippers are secured to the common slide M of the press.

The under side of the tube F is preferably cut away, so that the edges S and S', Fig. 5, thus formed Will ush with the under side of the rod G. The rod G and tube F then flush with the under side of the side grippers A ICO accurate guide is formed by which to draw lines to set gage-pins or guides, thus getting the first sheet straight. The gage-pins or guides may be and are preferably set within the slot O of the gripper. This arrangement will allow the gripper to grip the edge of the sheet which presses against the gage-pins. Otherwise only three sides could be gripped.

Our invention operates as follows: The side grippers A and B are secured by bolts l? to the slide M of the press. The width of the paper or sheet upon which the printing is to be done having been determined, the grippers A and B may, as the case may require, be separated or drawn closer together along the slide M sufficiently to grip on the edges of the sheet. The nuts on the ends of the bolts P are then tightened sufficiently to hold said side grippers in position. The extensionrods are then, as the case may require, separated or drawn closer together along the slots C, so that each may grip the edge of the ends of the sheet. The leverscrew or thumbscrew K is then tightened on each end sufliciently to hold the rods in position.

The grippers which are in use on platen printing-presses at the present time grip but one side of the sheet of paper, and much trouble is experienced from the fac-t that if the ink is used in its natural state the sheets stick tothe form and cannot be removed therefrom with the one gripper without tearing. Time is taken up in removing the sheet from the rollers. If the ink is reduced, the print is liable to be blurred or heavier in some parts than in others. Gage pins and type are mashed by reason of there being no perfect guide by which to set the gage-pins. By our invention these objections are obviated, and a novel, simple, inexpensive, and efficient gripper, which can be conveniently used, is provided.

We have Shown our invention in what we believe to be its simplest form; but it is obvious that many mere mechanical changes may be made without departing from its spirit or scope, and hence we do not desire to limit ourselves to the precise details of construction shown.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-` 1. In colnbination with the slide of the press, two side grippers longitudinally slotted and connected by cross-bars or extensionrods consisting of two sections, one of which is a hollow tube and the other a rod, so arranged that by placing the end of the rod within the end of the tube they may be extended or contracted in length, the extensionrods being laterally movable in the slots of the side grippers, thus furnishing means whereby any-sized sheet of paper may be firmly gripped on all four sides or margins, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and described.

2. In a gripper for platen printing-presses, the combination with the slide and the platen,

of two longitudinally-slotted laterally-movable side grippers, extension-rods extending from one side gripper to the other, each composed of two sections, one of which is a hollow tube and the other a rod, the end of which works within the tube, said extension-rods being movable in the slots of said side grippers, thus permitting the extension-rods and side grippers to be adjusted to each grip the edges of any-sized sheet of paper, and means for securing the extension-rods in the slots, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and described.

3. A gripper for platen printing-presses, consisting of two longitudinally-slotted side grippers and two cross-bars or extension-rods extending between the side grippers and movable in the longitudinal slots, each of said extension-rods consisting of a tube and a rod the end of which works within the tube, furnishing means for extending or contracting their length to suit any-sized sheet of paper, substantially as described.

et. A gripper for platen printing-presses, consisting of two side grippers provided with longitudinal slots, two cross-bars or extension-rods having their ends secured in said slots and movable therein, the said extensionrods consisting of two sections, one section being a hollow tube with its under side cut away making it horseshoe-shaped, and adapted to receive the end of the other section, and means for adjusting the side grippers and extension-rods to grip the edges of any-sized sheet of paper, substantially as described.

5. In a gripper for platen printing-presses, the combination with two longitudinally-slotted side grippers, of two cross-bars or extension-rods provided with means whereby their length may be contracted or extended, each consisting of a tube and a rod the end of which slides within the tube, and the ends of said extension-rods forming slides which are movably secured in the slots of the side grippers,

TOO

IIO

substan tially as and for the purposes set forth and described.

6. In combination, the longitudinally-slot ted side grippers carrying means whereby they may be secured to the slide of the press, the connecting-rods or extension-rods composed of two sections, one of which slides within the other enabling the side grippers to be adjusted any desired distance apart, their ends movably secured in the longitudinal slots of the side grippers, and means carried by said ends whereby they may be rigidly secured in any position to grip the edges of any-sized sheet of paper, substantially as and f or the purposes set forth and described.

Signed by us at Wheeling, West Virginia, this 12th day of February, 1900.

THOMAS GlVALIA JENKINS. JOHN BALLARD VILLS.

Witnesses:

M. D. FINNUEL, ELBERT MITCHELL. 

